Man injured during barn deconstruction

WRIGHT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) – A man from Newaygo is recovering after he was injured while working to deconstruct a barn near Coopersville Wednesday morning.

It happened shortly before 12 p.m. on 40th Avenue north of Cleveland Street in Wright Township.

Danny Scott Thompson, 49, was part of a crew that was working to tear down the barn, according to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office. While a wall was being torn down, a supporting beam gave way and struck Thompson across the back.

Police said while Thompson was not trapped by debris, extra crews were called in to stabilize the wreckage so that Thompson could be safely removed. He was then taken by Aero Med to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital for treatment. As of Wednesday afternoon, he was listed in fair condition.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office told 24 Hour News 8 the property on which the barn is located is owned by Lester Langland.

The barn was being torn down for the purpose of being reconstructed about three quarters of a mile from its current location, according to Don Anderson, who headed up the deconstruction crew.

Anderson said that work had been underway for about a month on the barn, which is said to be more than 100 years old.